SAN DIMAS  — After trailing most of the game, the San Dimas high school football team executed a huge fourth-quarter drive against visiting Marina to tie the game 15-15 with 1:24 left in regulation, eventually sending the game into overtime.

Brian Jackson scored on a 6-yard run on the Saints’ first possession in overtime, and the Saints defense shut down Marina to clinch the 21-15 victory.

Jackson led the Saints  (2-1) with 109 yards on 13 carries and two touchdowns plus a two-point conversion. He also intercepted a desperation pass with six seconds left in regulation to keep the Vikings out of the end zone.

“It was a tough game from the start,” Jackson said. “We knew they were going to bring it. We subbed some people and all of a sudden everything clicked. This was a huge win after losing to Lakewood last week in the last four seconds. We didn’t want that to happen again.”

Marina (1-2) scored first after committing three consecutive procedure penalties to start the game before marching 82 yards in 12 plays to take a 7-0 lead on a quarterback sneak by Garrett Hunnicutt.

“We were a little rocky at the start,” Jackson said. “That gave them the momentum. We had to dial it up from there.”

The Saints came right back, marching 70 yards on six plays, capped by Jackon’s 15-yard run to tie the score at 7-7.

It looked like it was going to turn into a shootout as the Vikings scored on the second play of the second quarter on an 8-yard pass from Hunnicutt to Micah Rhoads on a fourth-down play.

Hunnicutt completed 13 of 24 passes for 156 yards and Rhoads led all receivers with seven catches for 82 yards

The Vikings, who had their own overtime win last week, went for the two-point conversion to take a 15-7 lead.

The teams traded possessions until the Saints made their game tying drive in the fourth quarter.

The Saints offensive line, which struggled for three quarters finally clicked and the Saints took over the game.

The Saints drove 80 yards in 13 plays, capped by Caleb Morquecho’s 15-yard run over right guard to pull the Saints to within two points with 1:24 left in the regulation.

Jackson skirted around the left end for the two-point conversion that sent the game into overtime.

Morquecho carried the ball seven times for 48 yards as the Saints rushed for 210 yards against a much bigger Marina team.

“We made a few changes,” Saints coach Mark Holman said. “Brennan Valdivea, Jordan Garcia, our big center Aaron Ibarra, Dean Ruiz, Elijah Aguilar and our tight end Chris Del Rio are a young group but, they started to figure it out and started to get to the second level and that helps us out. They did a great job.”

The Saints, who have been to the CIF-SS Division 9 Semifinals twice in the last three years head for their annual Smudge Pot game against crosstown rival Bonita next week at Citrus College.

“The kids are fired up after this physical football game tonight,” Holman said. “We’re going to have a war next week.”

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